Department of Export Promotion

 The Office of Commercial Affairs, Royal Thai Embassy, London is an overseas office under the Department of Export Promotion, Ministry of Commerce. Its main responsibilities are to provide support and assistance to enhance the market possibilities of Thai products in the UK. We also actively promote positive representations of Thai products and services, including the promotion of Thailand as the South East Asian centre of production, trade and international exhibition services.

Roles and Responsibilities

The Office of Commercial Affairs plays a major role in coordinating trade and investment matters to support Thai exporters and companies doing trade and business overseas. There are three main responsibilities which consist of trade regime, trade promotion, and trade service.

1. Trade Regime is principally responsible for trade laws and regulations, trade awareness and trade disputes.
2. Trade Promotion is mainly on market research for Thai products and trade promotion activities such as promoting trade fairs in Thailand, arranging trade missions and organising joint promotions including trade visits to increase business opportunities and expand the market for Thai products.
3. Trade Service is concerned with trade enquiries, trade information services, and trade service facilitations.

56 OFFICES AROUND THE GLOBE

To assure that foreign traders have information accessibility, service and convenience necessary for importing Thai goods into their countries, the Department of Export Promotion of the Ministry of Commerce has established 56 Trade Promotion offices (Thai Trade Centre/ Office of Commercial Affairs) in every region across the world.

With efficient information technology system, DEP Worldwide Network (its 56 offices) provides comprehensive information on trade, trade statistics, import-export procedures/ regulations, lists of Thai manufactures. Thai exporter, overseas importers and other related information.

GLOBAL BUSINESS LINK

The DEP Worldwide Network serves as a link between Thai exporters and foreign buyers by providing its highly convenient one-stop service. Traders and buyers are supplied with trade information and advisory services including B to B matching, business networking data on Thai products and manufactures and other marketing promotion activities in Thailand and overseas such as trade fairs Thailand Exhibition, trade missions, in-store promotion.

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS DIRECTION

 In striving for competitiveness in the international trade arena, Thailand is in its transitional period in repositioning itself from a manufacturing-based country to trading nation in addition a shift in focus is transforming Thailand into a major service trade provide and investor country.

In response to new approaches in international business, DEP Worldwide Network constantly seeks more opportunities by searching for trade partners sourcing for materials, sub-contracting,, recruiting sales representatives, franchising, licensing as well as exploring potential joint ventures. With these objectives, the work of the DEP Worldwide Network in foreign countries will definitely be beneficial to both Thai and foreign businessmen.

EXPORT DIVERSITY

 Diversity has become an essential ingredient of Thai exports, with an emphasis on one stop sourcing of raw materials in Thailand regions, in the Greater Maekong, Sub-region and throughout Southeast Asia. These are turned into a variety of value-added products that include processed & frozen food, agricultural products, electronics, electrical appliances, furniture, fashion garment & textiles, auto parts and accessories etc. Look for the “Thailand’s Brand” symbol as a mark of quality on Thai exports.

Thai service industries are also in great demand around the world. Four key businesses are well established – Thai restaurants, Thai spas, health industry and international education – while new service industries such as architectural design, construction garage, printing, entertainment and other content industries are being developed to meet overseas demand.

DEP’S DEDICATED SERVICES

 Trade with Thailand begins at the Department of Export Promotion, Ministry of Commerce, which provides a comprehensive range of services for Thai exporters and international investors wishing to do business with Thailand. Acting as a on-stop service centre, it provides trade information and advisory services, match-making link-ups, business networking, data on Thai products and manufacturers, as well as helping to find suitable trade partners.

INTERNATIONAL ACTIVITES

In its ongoing pursuit of worldwide market expansion, the DEP has a year round program of promotional activities for export products and services that includes organizing international trade fairs in Thailand (see wwww.thaitradefari.com), participation in numerous trade fairs overseas, putting on in-store promotions and Thailand exhibitions about Thai products, as well as arranging trade missions to targeted markets.

OFFSHORE INVESTMENT

Thailand plans to boost its export drive by having the DEP offer various support activities to assist Thai businessmen wishing to expand abroad –especially in the areas of sourcing, subcontracting, green field investment, franchising and licensing. International entrepreneurs interested in any of these areas of business should contact the DEP which will conduct a search to find a suitable trade partner.

Thailand maintains its competitiveness in the world markets by utilizing advanced technology and research to continually improve the quality of its exports and services. Such technology allows the DEP to provide answers to international enquiries at the touch of a keyboard, instigate teleconferencing around the globe between international buyers and potential Thai partners, and extend support to logistics service providers to facilitate cheaper and faster deliveries of Thai products around the world.

TECHNOLOGY FOR QUALITY

Thailand maintains its competiveness in the world markets by utilizing advanced technology and research to continually improve the quality of its exports and services. Such technology allows the DEP to provide answers to international enquires at the touch of a keyboard, instigate teleconferencing around the globe between international buyers and potential Thai partners, and extend support to logistics service providers to facilitate cheaper and faster deliveries of Thai products around the world.

GLOBAL NETWORK

The DEP currently operates almost 60 offices in major cities around the world, plus 5 regional offices within Thailand. All welcome enquires from international buyers, providing information and advice to make it convenient to do business with Thailand.

The DEP’s international offices act as one-stop service centers, providing general information on Thai trade, products and services, while arranging partnership link-ups through match-making opportunities with Thai businessmen.